AIA: Building Envelope | Building Design + Construction
In a general sense, the term “curtain wall” refers to an exterior wall that does not support loads other than its own weight. Curtain walls are therefore nonstructural, and serve solely to protect the building from the elements. Seismic and wind forces on a curtain wall are transferred to the supporting structure at anchorage points, where the curtain wall frame is attached to the building, generally at floors or columns. Although curtain wall systems may incorporate a variety of materials, we will focus on the type that is so ubiquitous, it has effectively become synonymous with the words “curtain wall”: the glazed curtain wall system . Glazed curtain walls usually consist of a metal frame, often aluminum, with infills of vision and spandrel glass . Other materials may be interposed between glazing units, including brick veneer , precast concrete, metal panels, and thin stone. The hallmark of these systems is a focus on large expanses of glass, which shrouds the building in a seemi...